Onward
by Jenrai
Summary: My take on the events in KotOR. If you havent played, it wont make much sense yet. The rating is just to be safe.[on hold] pls R
1. Paths

Disclaimer: I own nothing, though I wish I did.  
  
A/N: I don't know if I will continue this, but I'd certainly like your thoughts on it. Go easy please, This is my first fic. And I'd like to thank my friend Orby. He's been a great help.  
  
Part 1: Paths  
  
I stood in front of the Temple on the Rakatan home world, wind blowing through my hair, listening to the Elders chanting. While waiting for the energy field to come down I cannot help but wonder where my path will go from here. The pivoting point of my destiny approaches. I can sense it. The Force was shifting, restless. Or it could merely be my apprehension, it has been growing ever since I learned my true identity. My true identity. Ha! Even after more than 4 weeks I still cant believe that I was once Revan, the Dark Lord of the Sith.  
  
Its inconceivable. I am a sensitive person, always aware of other peoples suffering. Because of this I always try to help when I can. I cant believe that I have caused so much pain and misery. Nobody who knew me ever suspected who I was. I am not physically imposing, with almost-shoulder-length plain brown hair that is always somewhat mussed and Grey-blue eyes. Storm blue, Mission once called it. I could be termed handsome I suppose, not that I pay attention to my appearance much. A Jedi shouldn't be vain.  
  
I am vaguely aware that my calm acceptance of the fact that I'm Revan makes my companions somewhat uneasy. Sadly, they are wrong. It is not calm acceptance, but numbness. To think that Diamid Kiith'sid never existed, that I am merely a concoction of the Jedi council, a pawn, leaves me empty. Dark thoughts fill my mind whenever I think of it.   
  
I want to break down and sob uncontrollably, to curl up in a corner and forget the world. I want to scream, to tear anything and everything that I can lay my hands on... No. I take a deep breath of the clear crisp air. Focus. There is no emotion, there is peace. Time enough later to become a vegetable or a gibbering madman. I laugh softly to myself. If there is a later.  
  
I sighed as I recalled all that I and my friends have been through. Death. Destruction. But also rare moments of peace, happiness...which made them all the more precious. How in this galaxy was I able to cling to sanity? I smiled to myself. My companions of course. We were like family. Even when they found out I was Revan, they stood by me, even that paranoid Carth. Carth, loyal to the Republic almost to a fault. Canderous, a great warrior who seeks honorable battles. Zaalbar, silent and strong yet gentle. Mission, that pesky kid, as Carth calls her, so full of energy and naiveté. T3-M4, the all around droid. HK-47, Rev-no, my, creation, his blood thirsty ways and humorous comments on 'meatbags'.  
  
Jolee, that crazy hermit who denies being a Jedi and his small crumbs of (mostly) welcome wisdom. Juhani, a fierce fighter, who doubts herself and her fitness to be a Jedi, constantly needing reassurance. Once she gets over her insecurity she'll be a great Jedi.   
  
And Bastila. My Bastila. Sweet, kind, caring and arrogant as well. With more doubts than Juhani. The endearing way she talked-stammer actually-when she became flustered. And in some ways more innocent than a child. Oh, Bastila, I'll get you back. Even if I have to face down a thousand Malaks or destroy a million Star Forges, I will. I swear it. I knew that if anything happened to her I would blame myself. I never even told her that I...love her. I should have told her.  
  
Lost in my musings, it took me a second to realize that the Elders had stopped their chanting. [What is it?] I asked in Rakatan.   
  
He looked at me in indignation and a hint of anger. [Someone approaches.]   
  
I turned to look around and saw Juhani and Jolee walking towards us. "What are you doing here?" I could barely contain my surprise at their interruption. They knew how important it was that I be alone.  
  
What is it? Did something happen? I thought in concern. "We had a vision.", Jolee said.   
  
I was startled,"What did you see?"   
  
"It was more of a premonition than a vision." Juhani replied, looking pointedly at Jolee, "We sensed that if you went into the Temple alone it will have terrible consequences."   
  
I was quiet for a moment as I processed this information as well as my earlier thoughts and feelings. So. They have sensed it as well. "I see. But unfortunately, the Rakatans wont let me in with you two. I'm supposed to go alone, remember? Their tradition." I raised my hand to forestall their protests. "I'll try to convince them." I turned to the Elder.[My friends wish to accompany me into the Temple.]   
  
He looked at me in surprise. His startlement quickly morphed into fury. [No! They cannot! It is forbidden for more than one to enter the Temple! Before, we broke our ancient tradition and allowed you and your apprentice into the Temple and you betrayed us! I will not allow that to happen again!]   
  
I sighed wearily. [I am not who I used to be. Have I not proved this to you?] He thought a moment then reluctantly nodded. [Therefore you should trust me. And much has changed. There will be many enemies in the Temple who will seek to destroy me. I cannot do this alone.] The Elder appeared to consider my words then started discussing it with the rest of his people.   
  
"What did you say, Revan?", Jolee asked.  
  
I barely stopped myself from retorting that I wasn't Revan. Instead I answered "I think Ive gotten him convinced that I need you as backup."   
  
Jolee, in his most impertinent tone, said "Need us? Well, of course you need us! Are you saying that you can take on dozens of Dark Jedi and Sith masters? Don't get too cocky, child."   
  
I ignored that last comment. "Malak wont put too many sith here. He needs them for the war." I shrugged. "I estimate maybe a little more than a dozen or so apprentices and masters."  
  
Juhani looked at me, "Nevertheless, you should not be too over-confident. That will lead to the Dark Side."   
  
I nodded. "Yes, Juhani, I know. I was merely stating that there are probably only a few sith in there."   
  
Before she could reply, the Elder turned to me. [We have heard the wisdom in your words. We will allow these two to accompany you.]   
  
I nodded. [Thank you.] I murmured. They resumed the chant. I looked at Juhani and Jolee. "They'll allow you to come with me."   
  
Jolee looked pleased. "Good, good. Very good. You could talk sense into anybody."   
  
I couldn't resist. "Anybody except you!" I quipped. He merely harrumphed. I heard a sound that sounded suspiciously like suppressed laughter coming from Juhani.   
  
Apparently, he heard it as well. "How long are we going to be standing here looking like idiots?" He asked grouchily.   
  
Smiling in amusement, I answered, "Most likely several hours. Why don't we meditate until then?" I suggested, kneeling on the grass and centering myself.   
  
"Yes, we should prepare ourselves for the battle ahead." With feline grace Juhani knelt on the grass next to me, followed by Jolee. "Well, since we have nothing better to do than attract biting bugs..."  
  
===========  
  
"Lets go. The mechanism that controls the disruptor field should be at the Temples summit.", I told them, my voice slightly breathless. They nodded, understanding, as breathless as I.   
  
We were in the main hallway leading to the summit. True to my assessment, there were only a few Dark Jedi in residence. Even so, we were scorched and bleeding by lightsabers, vibroblades and Force attacks by the time we found out how to open the massive doorway leading up. As we climbed we used the Force to heal ourselves and applied medpacks to the wounds that the Force wouldn't heal fast enough.  
  
When we reached the summit I felt a dark presence nearby. I tensed as we walked into the court. There I saw a very welcome sight: Bastila!   
  
My heart soared to see her alive and well. Then reality intruded on my gladness. Wasn't she supposed to be a prisoner? I felt a moment of intense shock as I looked at her. Really looked. She was wearing black robes that seemed to suck the light out around her. Sith robes. No. My mind denied what I was seeing. She must have stolen them. To escape, I thought desperately. Then she ignited her lightsaber and my heart sank somewhere near my feet. It was red. Blood red. No. It cant be. It cant! But it was. I couldn't deny it any longer. I sensed it now. Bastila was the source of the dark presence I sensed as we reached the top. When Bastila looked at me I felt despair bubble up within me. Her gaze held such hatred and anger.  
  
She spoke, "Revan. I knew you'd come to try and save me. My master thought that you would be too cowardly to enter the Temple again. But Ive known you ever since you've changed."   
  
Juhani cut her off and urgently said "Bastila! Quick! Come with us! We have to escape before Malak comes!" Bastila laughed coldly at Juhani, who was taken aback. Juhani hasn't realized it yet. I thought sadly.   
  
"Escape? Foolish Jedi. You don't understand. I've sworn allegiance to Malak and the Sith. I am no longer a pawn of the Jedi!" I felt a chill run up my spine as I recalled my earlier thought. Pawn of the Jedi council.   
  
"What are you talking about Bastilla?" I asked softly.   
  
"Oh, you know what I mean Revan. No doubt it has crossed your mind, has it not?" I tried not to wince as she accurately deduced my feelings.  
  
Apparently I did not succeed too well as Bastillas voice changed slightly. More.. sly. "You see it, I know. How they manipulate those who are strong in the Force towards their own ends." My despair doubled at these words. I breathed deeply and recited the Jedi code to myself. It pushed away my despair and turned it to determination. I knew that if I could be redeemed then so could she.   
  
"Its not too late Bastila. You can still turn away from the Dark Side!" I pleaded.   
  
Bastila dismissed my words with a wave of her hand. "I resisted at first, enduring the torment with the serenity of a true Jedi. Then after a week of endless pain I finally saw the truth. Malak showed me that emotions such as pain, anger, hatred, should not be suppressed. They have power."   
  
I was shaking my head even before she finished speaking. "No, Bastila. Malak is lying. Those emotions will not help you. Nor will the Dark Side. They'll destroy you!"   
  
Bastilas face grew darker as I spoke, "Lies?!" she burst out, "You are the one living a lie Revan! The Jedi programmed you, made you something you are not. Those memories of yours are not real! Diamid is only a figment of the demented minds of the Jedi council! They wanted you to be their slave! Like me!"   
  
I shook my head. "You said yourself that my mind was damaged, and my memories couldn't be restored. The Jedi gave me a second chance--"   
  
Bastila laughed harshly. "What made you think that your memories could not be restored? They could have been, but the vaunted, wise, all-seeing council deemed you to be too dangerous so they merely replaced your memories!"  
  
My breath caught and my resolve wavered at these words. The council wouldn't be that cruel would they? No. Shes making me doubt the Jedi. I mustn't listen. "If restoring my memories made me into the monster I once was, then I am glad and grateful to the council for erasing them for good, not angry."   
  
Bastilas tone and face turned disgusted at my words. "A pity. Your power is weakened, diluted. You could have been as strong as I am now. Stronger even. But that will never happen now. The power of the Star Forge is immense. With it, Malak will bring the Republic to its knees and conquer the galaxy. And I will be the one at his side. After I prove myself by killing you!"  
  
Without warning Bastila attacked. I barely had time to ignite and bring my indigo blade up to parry her strike. As I saw out of the corner of my eye Juhani and Jolee move into position to attack Bastila, I jumped back out of Bastilas reach a moment. "Stay back. I'll deal with her." I told them, my voice full of sorrow.  
  
They hesitated a moment then stepped away, but alert and ready to intervene if necessary. Bastila sneered and resumed her assault. We fought for several long minutes, exchanging blows. Even though I was weakened somewhat from the battle to get to the summit I managed to barely hold my own against her. However, my strength wouldn't hold out forever.   
  
Finally, I decided to do something unorthodox. When Bastila aimed a blow to my head, I blocked it, as expected. What she did not expect, was me deactivating my lightsaber and ducking under her suddenly freed blade. It threw her off balance for a second. It was all that I needed. I quickly reignited my blade and brought it up in a vertical slash. It would have been a killing blow, but as a testament to her skill and training she managed to twist away at the last second. So instead of being cut in half from hip to shoulder, she merely sustained a deep cut on her right shoulder.  
  
Hissing in pain she leaped away from me and deactivated her lightsaber. I hesitated, barely daring to hope that she was surrendering. She quickly dashed that hope with her next words. "It seems Malak was wrong about you. You are stronger than I thought was possible after what has been done to you. The power of the Dark Side is not lost to you after all, Revan."   
  
I shook my head sadly. "I am not Revan anymore. You said so yourself. I am Diamid Kiith'sid now. He draws his power from the Light."   
  
Bastila smiled cunningly. "You may deny who you are, Revan, but you are only fooling yourself. I have seen the shadows within your mind."   
  
"Shadows? I don't have any shadows in my mind." I told her, my unease climbing.   
  
I heard Jolee snort beside me. "You may not have shadows in your mind, but you've sure got rocks in your head! Hehe." I spared him a quick glance as I relaxed slightly.  
  
Bastila ignored him as she would an insect, totally focused on me. "You've forgotten, Revan. I was there when you nearly died. I used the Force to save your life. We are linked forever!"   
  
I nodded. "I remember we are bonded. And that is how I know that you can be saved from the dark path you are walking."   
  
"You are speaking as a puppet of the council." She taunted me. "They used me-us-in order to find the Star Forge. They exploited the bond between us, hoping that I would draw out your memories of the Star Forge."   
  
"They wanted to stop Malaks advance." I said. "Since it was the only way other than fully restoring my memories."   
  
She smiled mockingly at me. "Oh, true. But what they did not count on was you giving me a taste of the so-called taint within you. I resisted it at first, ignoring its call. But now I fully embrace the power of the Dark Side-Your dark side!"   
  
I looked at her uneasily. What is she talking about?Theres something going on here. "What are you saying Bastila?"   
  
Bastila looked at me, her eyes filled with fire. "Its you who deserves to be the true master of the Sith, not that weakling Malak! I see this now. Come, join with me, and together we can destroy your old apprentice."  
  
I blinked and stared at her, my mind reeling from what she said. How could she offer me such a thing? Does she know that I am in love with her? That I would be sorely tempted to join her? If only to be near her? How...cruel of her, I thought bitterly.   
  
Juhani must have sensed my distress, for she spoke to Bastila. "Its not too late for you to be saved Bastila! The Jedi teachings can lead you away from the Dark Side into the Light and a true understanding of the Force."   
  
Bastila rounded on Juhani snarling in anger, "You are beneath my contempt, Cathar. When you felt the true power of the dark side you fled and hid cowering in a cave like the animal you are! You know nothing of the Force or its true potential!"   
  
Bastila turned to me, "But you, Revan, the power of the Dark Side is yours to command! You can use it to destroy your enemies and with my help you could rule the galaxy!"  
  
Her words snapped me out of my stupor as I realized that she was sincere in her desire for me to surrender to the Dark Side and join with her. For a moment, just a moment, I contemplated taking up her offer.   
  
But then I recalled those who have put their faith in me. The Jedi council, my companions, people who I have met along my journey, the Republic. And I would not do it for it would mean I would wound my friends deeply, not to mention hurt and destroy many more people in addition to those I already have in my reign as the Dark Lord.   
  
I shook my head inwardly. No, I wont do it. If somebody is to be hurt, let it be me. I looked at Bastila. "The Dark Lord Revan is dead. He is no more. I serve the light now."   
  
Bastila looked at me in contempt. "Then you are a pathetic fool, Diamid Kiith'sid . Together we could have defeated Malak and rule over an empire, but now I will be at Malaks side instead! You will be crushed along with the Republic and all the fools who bow down to the Jedi! No one can stand against the power of the Star Forge and the Sith fleet!"  
  
With that she turned and quickly ran into the balcony where a previously unnoticed G-wing escape ship was docked.   
  
We ran after her but she managed to vault into the cockpit and blast away. The resulting shock wave knocked us to the ground. As we picked ourselves up, Jolee let out a very un-jedilike curse.   
  
"What is it, Old Man? Your bones are creaking from landing on your ass?" I asked him weakly. I winced at my poor attempt at humor.   
  
"Humph! This is no time for dawdling, boy. Go find that thingamajig so we can get off this Force-forsaken planet!" I smiled at him and searched for the computer. After disabling the energy and disruptor fields, we made our way back to the Ebon Hawk. 


	2. To The Star Forge

Sammie: Thanks. I know about my apostrophe problem, and I am trying to break my habit.  
  
F4de: Glad you like it.  
  
Prisoner 24601: Thanks for the suggestion. I'll keep that in mind.  
  
=========================  
  
Part 2: To The Star Forge  
  
As we approached the beach where the Hawk was grounded, I thought about how they would react as I face them and say that Bastila had turned. _I_ had to tell them. Not Juhani. Not Jolee. Me. They regarded me as a leader. I shook my head slightly. A leader who abandoned his love to the mercies of the Sith. A leader who was too _weak_ to protect what he held most dear. A leader who had "shadows in his mind" that pulled Bastila to the Dark. I felt despair creep up on me again. This time I could do nothing to stop it from invading my soul. _I don't deserve to be their leader. What would happen if those shadows claimed me as well?_ I shied away from that thought. _No. I must not think of such things._ As we rounded the last bend, I looked up and saw my companions clustered outside, waiting. You didn't need Force powers to sense their anxiety and worry.   
  
Carth looked up and spotted us first. "You're safe!" He called out loudly as he rushed to meet us, closely followed by the others. "We have to hurry, the Republic Fleet will be here any minute now! Is the disruptor field down?" He asked, looking at me anxiously.   
  
I sighed at him. "Yes, it's down. After Bastila-" "Bastila?!" His eyes widened as he cut me off. "Where? What happened in that Temple?"   
  
Everyone looked at me expectantly. I hesitated a moment then said in a low, pain filled voice, "Bastila has turned to the Dark Side Carth." Mission let out a gasp and Zaalbar moaned. Canderous just stood there with an unconcerned expression. Despite my roiling emotions, I was amused. _Does nothing faze that Mandalorian?_ Carth's voice brought back my attention. "The D-dark Side? W-what are you talking about?" a shocked Carth managed to get out. I looked away, unable to meet his eyes. "She became Malak's apprentice." I said.   
  
Carth shook his head in denial as he cried out, "No. No! That's not true! That could never happen!" My heart twisted painfully at the tone of betrayal his voice.   
  
Jolee looked at Carth in sadness and sighed, "It's true Carth. Bastila was strong, but she was also impatient and headstrong. She was always in danger of falling to the Dark Side. All of us are."   
  
His words reminded me of an ancient Jedi saying. I said softly, "'We are not saints, but seekers.'"   
  
Jolee glanced at me and nodded. "Malak used her weaknesses to turn her. I fear that Malak has a strong hold on her now." Jolee looked into the distance and said almost to himself, "This planet is tainted. The combined Dark Side energies of the Star Forge and the Temple have twisted the Force into an instrument of total evil. Just like Malak has twisted Bastila."   
  
As I felt my eyes begin to sting, I bowed my head to hide the tears that threatened to fall. "It's because of me that she turned."   
  
Jolee said in a sympathetic voice, "We all choose our paths in the end, but you would do well to keep in mind the role you played in her downfall. You and the task given to her by the Council. Through the bond that was created when she kept you alive she touched your memories...and the echo of darkness that was within you."  
  
I kept my head bowed and said in a listless tone, "So she was right. The shadows in my mind was the reason she fell..."  
  
Mission shook herself out of her shock and told Jolee angrily, "Hey, can't you see how torn up he is about this? Cut him some slack won't you?" She walked up to me and gave me a reassuring hug. "It's not your fault Diamid. Like the old coot said, we choose who we want to be, nobody _tells_ us, nobody!" I gave her a small smile in thanks.   
  
Carth looked at us in desperation. "But she can still be saved, right? I mean, Revan rejected the Dark Side, so Bastila can too, right?" I twitched a bit inwardly at that. _I guess I am Revan in their eyes now._ I sighed to myself. _I suppose I should get used to it._   
  
I looked up at Carth and saw his desolate face. _He's taking this harder than I thought possible. Even considering his background._ I felt troubled. I glanced at my friends and saw them looking at me expectantly. Trustingly. Even Carth! _They_ need _me_! I thought in astonishment. _They need a leader, _I realized. _have to pull myself together...for their sake at least._ Taking a deep breath, I concentrated on all my fears, pain, anger and frustration and as I breathed out I let the emotions go with it. I looked at Carth and met his eyes. I let determination show in my demeanor as I said, "While Bastila is still alive there is always hope for her to be saved. And I assure you, Carth, I _will_ try to redeem her." It was amazing what a few well said words can do. The only way to describe it was that the atmosphere suddenly became charged with energy.   
  
Jolee looked at us in irritation and said rather testily, "Are we just gonna sit here and wait for moss to grow on us or move our behinds to stop Malak?!"  
  
I shook my head and Carth chuckled. "The Old Man's right." he said. "All right people, let's move out!" With that we all walked up the ramp into the Ebon Hawk.

==========

  
Admiral Forn Dodonna watched as the blue-white tunnel her cruiser was passing through dissolved into long white streaks, followed by the familiar black emptiness of space. But this time, it wasn't so empty. Directly in front of the bridge of her ship, was a massive orb of yellow-white light. The brightness of the star made her eyes burn a moment, she blinked a few times before the screen adjusted to the glare. The very top of the glowing sphere had a pillar of light leading up to a construct that shimmered in the bright light of the star. The construct was like nothing she'd ever encountered before, it was massive, though dwarfed by the star itself. From the design, Dodonna came to the conclusion that it couldn't have been a starship, but a space station, and the biggest one she'd ever seen.   
  
A sphere was just above the center of the massive space station, with three tapering structures running through it. The top of the sphere was the home to a dozen or more spires. "What the hell is that?" One of the capital ship commanders choked as he asked. "I-it has to be huge to be visible at this distance!" Dodonna couldn't blame the commander for being shocked. The thing was immense.   
  
Master Vandar, one of the Jedi Masters from the demolished enclave at Dantooine, looked up. He appeared to have been meditating. "The Dark Side's presence is strong, Admiral. I advise you to proceed cautiously." Dodonna nodded at the diminutive Master.   
  
Dodonna walked to the front of the bridge. "Open a channel to the Fleet.", she ordered. One of the commanders bent over a seated officer a moment then waved to the Admiral. "This is Forn Dodonna to all Republic ships. I am sure you are aware of the importance of this battle in the war with the Sith. Therefore I expect you to give your best effort and then some. May the Force be with us all. Dodonna out." She turned to the commanders, "Send the signal. Prepare to engage the enemy."   
  


==========

  
As everyone settled into their positions I went to the back to install the Hyperdrive components that were fried by the disruptor field. I managed to salvage them from a crashed ship while on my way to the Temple. It took a few minutes to connect it and a few more to recalibrate the settings because the components weren't exactly made for the Hawk.   
  
After I finished I made my way to the cockpit, stopping to check up on everybody when I passed. As I stepped into the cockpit I noticed Carth was frowning at the flight controls. "Carth? Is something wrong?"   
  
He blinked and looked up at me. "What? Oh, no. Nothings wrong. I just can't believe our journey is nearing it's end. It just feels... surreal, I suppose. It feels as if we've been fighting for so long, even though it's only been a few months."   
  
I nodded. "I know what you mean." I looked at him and smiled. "At least you'll see your son Dustil again." I chuckled humorlessly. "You have something to look forward to. I have to go see a bunch of stodgy Jedi Masters about the small issue of my identity." I winced slightly at the thought of confronting the Council. I wondered briefly if I would survive long enough to confront them. I shook myself. _Don't go there Diamid. What will happen, will happen. I trust in the Force._   
  
Carth cautiously started the pre-flight sequences. Though my repair skills are excellent, we weren't certain of the salvaged components' compatibility. He raised an eyebrow in my direction. "Stodgy? Aren't you being disrespectful or something? Not that I mind."  
  
I turned my attention to the board a moment before answering. One by one green lights came to life. I chuckled again, but with humor this time. "Actually," I said in a wistful voice, feeling a pang in my heart, "Bastila was the one who called them 'stodgy'."  
  
"W-what?", Carth stuttered, "The Jedi Princess said that?" I nodded. "Heh. Learn a new thing everyday."   
  
"And what did you learn?" I asked, amused at his words. I glanced at the board again, there were a couple of red lights and a smattering of yellow ones. _Not bad,_ I thought,_ could've been worse._   
  
"That Bastila doesn't think the Council is perfect." He replied absently, his attention on the Hawk. "Well then.", he said, "Shall we go pick her Highness up?"   
  
Before I could reply he powered up the repulsor lifts, heaving the hunk of metal into the air once again. I could feel the slight vibration as landing gear retracted and the hum of the engine beneath my feet. Gently he turned her and nudged the control stick forward. As the thrusters responded smoothly, Carth increased power to maximum, and we blasted out of the atmosphere. My breath went out of me as I felt myself pressed back hard a moment, before the inertial dampeners kicked in. I glanced at Carth. He looked at me and shrugged. I rolled my eyes. _Damn show-off flyboy._ I checked on everybody, aside from Jolee's acidic comments on 'hot-headed children who don't know a thing about flying' everything was fine. For the moment.   
  


==========

  
Dodonna watched the tactical display with pursed lips. The battle was not going very well. The Siths' tactics and formation were deceptively simple, but they were amazingly well organized, not to mention numerous. Dodonna shook her head slightly. At this rate they would have to retreat soon, and that did not bode well for the Republic if they did.   
  
"Admiral, there's an unknown freighter coming up from a planet in sector Y-027." One of the officers announced. He checked the console. "The IFF transponder lists her as the Ebon Hawk."   
  
Dodonna nodded to the communications officer. "Hail them, Lieutenant.", gesturing to the Holo display. The Lieutenant turned and punched a few buttons.   
  


==========

  
As Carth set our flight path towards that ominous bulk in the distance that was the Star Forge, I picked up a disturbance in the Force. It was fleeting, like a whisper against the roaring darkness of the Star Forge. I concentrated on it a moment and felt a momentary flash of recognition. _Was that Bastila?_ I thought incredulously. I got over my surprise when I realized that she must be using her Battle Meditation. Carth's voice cut into my concentration.   
  
"Is something wrong, Revan?", he asked with concern.   
  
I blinked at him in startlement at his use of 'Revan'. He didn't seem to see nothing wrong with it. _Can it be?_ I thought, _Has he finally accepted that I'm Revan? And perhaps before me_. What an unusual thought. "What did you call me again, Carth?" I asked.   
  
He looked at me with some embarrassment. "I, uh, called you Revan." He fidgeted slightly. "I'm sorry. I won't do it again."   
  
I waved away his apology. "It's alright. It just surprised me that you would use that name." I concentrated again, but could not sense the disturbance anymore. I frowned. "Strange. I thought I sensed Bastila using her Battle Meditation. I could be mistaken. The Star Forge tends to throw things out of normality."   
  
Carth nodded and was about to reply when he was distracted by a blinking light on the communications panel. "We're receiving a transmission from the Republic Fleet! They must have got the message I sent as we were crashing!" Carth reached over and punched a few buttons while I prudently moved out of the pickup range. No telling who might recognize me. The image of a middle aged female I have never seen before flickered to life. The markings on her uniform and the number of medals indicated she was a high ranking officer.   
  
"This is Admiral Forn Dodonna to the Ebon Hawk, do you read us?"   
  
I looked on in some amusement as Carth set himself unconsciously to attention while addressing the admiral. "Admiral Dodonna, this is Carth Onasi. We are receiving your transmission."   
  
Admiral Dodonna seemed relieved at his words. "Carth," she said in a warm tone, "I'm glad to see you're still alive. We have already begun our assault on the Star Forge, but we're taking heavy losses. Do you know how the Sith ever managed to construct something of this magnitude without us knowing?"   
  
Carth shook his head. "The Star Forge wasn't built by the Sith, Admiral. We don't have time for me to fully explain, but that thing is far older than you think."   
  
Admiral Dodonna mulled over his words a moment. "Maybe we should pull the fleet back and retreat. I don't know if we have the firepower to go up against this alien technology."   
  
Carth looked somewhat alarmed at this declaration. "You can't do that, Admiral! The Star Forge is a factory of incredible power! This is the thing that has been powering the Sith war effort, creating capitol ships, snub fighters and assault droids!" His voice became intense as he drove his point across "You have to destroy the Star Forge now! Or the Republic will be fighting an unending wave of reinforcements!"   
  
Admiral Dodonna looked at him solemnly. "Then I guess we have no choice. But this isn't going to be easy. I can't even get our capitol ships into position to start bombarding the Star Forge. The Sith are too well organized! It's like they can guess our every move and counter our every strategy!"   
  
_So it_ was _Bastila that I sensed._ Carth and I exchanged a sad look. "It's because of Bastila, Admiral. She has turned to the dark Side and became Malak's apprentice. We suspect that she's on the Star Forge right now using her Battle Meditation against you."   
  
Admiral Dodonna's eyes widened a fraction before she nodded gravely. She looked over to the left a moment before stepping to the side. "This is Master Vandar. A number of Jedi Knights have joined our fleet under his command." It was my turn for my eyes to widen as Master Vandar stepped into the pickup range. I was glad of course that Master Vandar had survived, but _Jedi_ actively joining in the war effort, in an actual battle? I shook my head. _I guess it isn't that strange. After all, Malak, and now Bastila, are no pushovers,_ I thought. _Not to mention a few hundred Dark Jedi._ Carth was having something of a similar reaction, goggling a moment at the small Jedi Master before taking control of himself.   
  
Master Vandar slowly blinked, giving the impression that he was on the verge of falling asleep. "If Bastila is using her power to augment the Sith, then Malak's fleet is invincible. Our only hope is to somehow stop Bastila from using her Battle Meditation."   
  
Admiral Dodonna looked down at Master Vandar. "How can we do that if she's on the space station?"   
  
Master Vandar explained, "I will send a squadron of Jedi Knights to the Star Forge to find Bastila. Their small ships should be able to slip through the Sith blockade and dock on the space station. If they can find Bastila, they may be able to distract her from the battle. That should allow you to move your capitol ships into position for a final assault on the Star Forge itself."   
  
Admiral Dodonna nodded in agreement. "Very well, then." She turned back to Carth. "Carth, I would like you to turn around and get out of-"   
  
At her words I felt a feeling of wrongness. Carth did as well it seemed, for he opened his mouth to say something just as I stepped forward and cut her off, "In all due respect Admiral, Master, I believe it would be best if we went with the Jedi to the Star Forge."   
  
Admiral Dodonna looked rather startled at my sudden appearance and surprised at my words. Carth was nodding in agreement next to me. She looked at us and gauged our resolve. "As you wish, though I hate to ask you to do this after all you've done..."   
  
"Don't worry, Admiral. The Ebon Hawk and her crew are going to see this through to the end!" Carth told Admiral Dodonna confidently.   
  
Master Vandar stood there silent a moment before addressing me. "Are you certain you want to go through with this Padawan? I am unsure if you are up to this..."   
  
"Yes, Master. I'm certain. I have a greater chance at finding Bastila through our bond, and perhaps turn her from the Dark Side. I have to at least try", I said. "To give her the chance you gave me." I added softly.   
  
Master Vandar's ears perked up as he realized what I was saying, that I knew who I was. He nodded then gave me a kind look. "Then may the Force be with you." The transmission faded.   
  
I turned to Carth. "Well then, shall we?" I asked him.   
  
He nodded. "Let's do this."  
  
==================================================================================================   
  
A/N: Parts of this chapter were written by my friend Orby. And I'd like to thank another friend, Bushy, for checking my spelling.  
  



	3. Breaking Through

  
  
Part 3: Breaking Through  
  
We flew on, each of us absorbed in our thoughts. The unnatural silence and tension was beginning to become oppressive. We had received information that the Jedi Squadron assigned to accompany us would meet us en route to the Star Forge. I estimated that we had at least half an hour to reach the battle. Time enough to assign tasks. I thought about it a moment, then switched on the comm. "Jolee, begin preparing medpacks and stims for when we reach the Star Forge."   
  
I heard him sigh then grumble, "Bah... eager kids! Always rushing into fights and getting hurt. I didn't use this many medpacks when I was young..."   
  
I shook my head in amusement as I changed channels. "Juhani you take the starboard turret, Canderous the portside, HK, topside." I ordered them. They would be the best suited to man the turrets. Juhani had excellent reflexes, courtesy of her warrior species. Canderous for his battle experience. HK could integrate his targeting systems with the Hawk, adding to his already deadly accuracy. And HK was, well, HK. I had no doubt that if he had mobile features he would be grinning insanely in anticipation right now. And I would not hear the end of it if I deprived him of the chance to blast 'meatbags'.   
  
A small beep sounded and Mission's indignant voice came out of the comm. "Hey, how 'bout the rest of us? You can't just expect us to sit here and do nothing!" A small smile curved my lips. Trust Mission to want to help. She was so innocent despite being raised in the Lower City of Taris. _What else needs to be done?_ I wondered. There weren't many things. I ran through the few options in my mind and settled on one.   
  
I bent toward the comm. again. "Of course you're not just going to sit there Mission," I replied, my smile evident in my voice. "You, Zaalbar, and T3 are going to make sure the Hawk's systems stay in shape for us. While I trust in Carth's flying skills to keep us in one piece, he's going to likely push her to her limits." I heard a small "Oh." as the intercom shut off. I chuckled.   
  
I glanced outside through the viewport and my good feelings quickly evaporated at the sight that greeted me. 12 Frigates, like the Endar Spire, the ship I was stationed on when this all began and 18 Corvette-sized ships that looked more like cargo freighters than warships were firing streams of laser fire at the Sith fleet, who were returning fire in earnest. My heart sank when I compared the 2 fleets. It was obvious that the Republic was outnumbered. Though Carth had told them to bring as many ships as they could spare, the Sith fleet still had the advantage of numbers. The Sith fleet also coordinated it's fire much more effectively than the Republic did, courtesy of Bastila's Battle Meditation, and 3 Corvette ships were destroyed while I watched. As we drew closer I could see the twinkling of lights around the starships. I knew them to be the fighters and bombers of both fleets engaged in furious dogfights, each striving to gain the upper hand. I drew a breath and centered myself. We were about to enter that chaotic melee and I wanted to be as prepared as possible.   
  


==========

  
A young Duros, some 25 years of age, took a deep breath in the cockpit of his fighter. He needed to focus on the engagement ahead. Three full squadrons of Sith Starfighters, totaling 36 craft, had suddenly veered as they got within sensor range and were on their way to stop them. He was part of the squadron of Jedi Knights assigned to follow the freighter, the Ebon Hawk, into the Star Forge. There were 12 fighters, and the Hawk. He knew this would be a difficult fight, especially if these Sith fought as the main fleet did.   
  
They'd been told why the Sith fought so well, Bastila had turned to the Dark Side, and was using her Battle Meditation to give the Sith an edge. He quickly suppressed a shudder. The young Knight had seen her use Battle Meditation against the Sith when they had tried to take the shipyards at Bilbringi. He'd felt a great boost of mental clarity, adding to his already clear mind and also felt a more confident in His fingers had been steadier on the trigger...making it nearly impossible for his shots to miss the target. Now, on the other end of the effects that Battle Meditation had on the enemy, his mind was clouded, his focus beginning to waver. Doubts plague his already uncertain thoughts, his hands were twitchy, and reactions sluggish.   
  
The fighters were just over 5 klicks away when he checked his target display, they were closing in fast. At an order from the Leader, they formed a sphere around the Ebon Hawk; the plan was they would use its 3 gun turrets as cover for the first run, where the engagement would be the most dangerous. As the enemy got within 2.5 kilometers of them, each side took potshots at the other, then, as they closed the distance, the Sith fighters started firing in constant stream.   
  
A fellow Jedi to his left attempted to avoid a volley of laser bolts, but failed. He became one with the Force as his ship fell to pieces and shredded. The young Jedi felt sorrow for his comrade that had died, but there was no time to grieve. Reaching out to the Force, he concentrated once more on the oncoming Sith, firing. His shots hit a few fighters, though it would be hard to miss the cloud of metal flying towards them. The Sith fighters suddenly broke into groups and concentrated their fire on a single fighter until it was destroyed. Another Jedi died in that head-to-head engagement soon after; It was hard to evade the fire of even 4 ships, but 12 was a near impossibility. Their formation worked in favor of the Knight, for he was able to destroy 6 Sith fighters in rapid succession before the squadron broke off as both sides passed each other. This is where the real dogfight begins. Now that the most dangerous part of this engagement was over, the young Duros expected there to be fewer deaths for his side. At least for now.   
  


==========

  
We'd been in the thick of the fighting for what seemed like hours when it was in actuality some 10 minutes. I concentrated on maintaining our defenses as Carth dodged and weaved, evading blaster fire with a skill that impressed me. _He_ really _knows how to fly_. It seemed his boasting was not hot air after all. I checked our display and nodded slightly in satisfaction. Most of the Jedi squadron was still with us. I felt strangely protective of them, and was saddened as I sensed 2 of them had joined the Force at the beginning of the fight. When we had rendezvoused with them on the outskirts of the battle, I had reached out with the Force. I had been rather shocked at the youth of most of them. The Jedi must have indeed been spread thin for Master Vandar to charge such young Knights to penetrate the blockade, dock on the Star Forge, and search for Bastila and Malak. _It's either that, or he's relying on us to distract Bastila and defeat Malak,_ I thought absently, then grimaced,_ or more specifically, me._   
  


==========

  
"Targeting: Meatbag in sights. Firing." HK-47 fired 4 volleys at a Sith fighter passing by his view port. HK was immune to the effects of Bastila's Battle Meditation, unlike his 'meatbag' comrades, and adding that to his integration with the Hawk, made him the best gunner on the ship. His master might have argued that the Force was better than any electronic targeting system, but HK maintained droid superiority over meatbag mysticism.   
  
A Jedi fighter passed by his viewport, 3 Sith fighters in a delta formation pursuing the evading Jedi. The squad leader fell first, and the 2 wingmen evaded, and, as HK predicted, the meatbags flew right into his fire. The droid was tempted to shoot at the Jedi's craft, and eliminate another meatbag from the galaxy, but he was under strict orders from his master to only shoot at Sith fighters. Through the Hawk's systems, HK ascertained there were 21 remaining enemy craft in the immediate area. HK hoped they would all suddenly decide to fly into his sights. A lonely Sith fighter obliged as it flew into his target reticule. And flew out just as fast. It reemerged into his view seconds later, chasing after a Jedi fighter. The Jedi attempted to evade the laser bolts, but his efforts were in vain, and the ship's engines took a direct hit, vaporizing the entire ship in a single brilliant explosion.   
  
HK recognized the fighter, he'd shot at it numerous times before, and failed to hit on every attempt. "Aggravation: This meatbag shall _die._" HK's synthesized voice growled as he fired with incredible accuracy at the lone Sith fighter. However, the fighter dove to the left, evading HK's fire, and turned to make an attack run on the Hawk. The droid, his frustration rapidly climbing, commanded the other gunners to fire at the Sith fighter. He _was_ going to see this meatbag dead, no matter how. The other 2 guns were able to attack, one of them manned by the Mandalorian, Canderous, who HK had grown to like for his ruthlessness.   
  
The fighter juked and spun, evading every shot the gunners took at it, all the while pelting the freighter with red-white laser fire. Finally, a laser bolt clipped the fighter's left wing, cutting 1/3 of it off. The droid calculated the telemetry of the laser, and concluded that it had come from the meatbag named Juhani. By HK's calculations, the fighter lost 28% of it's maneuvering, that gave the droid the advantage he needed to take the fighter down. The Starfighter would swing to the right much slower now; that limited the pilot's evasion options. The pilot acted out of instinct, and evaded to the right, which presented its broad side to the gunners. As HK fired a precise set of volleys, he said calmly, "Encouragement:" then suddenly raised his voice as they hit their mark, "Die, meatbag, DIE!". The fighter was ripped to pieces by the shots. Then HK said, "Appreciation: Thank you." Canderous' laughter was heard over the comm. HK was extremely pleased with himself. Whether the pilot was a Dark Jedi, or just an extraordinarily skilled meatbag pilot, he would never know, but he did know that the meatbag was the Wing leader, and the attack quickly fragmented for the Sith Squadron, making them easy prey for the 3 gunners and the remaining 8 Jedi fighters.   
  


==========

  
The hawk suddenly rocked with a direct hit. I was thrown to the side as I clutched my seat to steady myself. "Shields?!" Carth barked at me, tense.   
  
I quickly checked the our status. "Holding. Though we can't take another hit like that without sustaining damage." I replied with some semblance of calm, which was something of a feat. As we got ever closer to the Star Forge I could feel it's Dark pull, as well as the now more frequent brushes of what could only be Bastila using her Battle Meditation.   
  
She was absorbed in the main fight, and not paying attention to the stray fights outside it. That would not last long I knew. We would soon be entering her sphere of influence. I began to shield myself and dampen my aura in the Force at the same time, both to keep myself hidden and to block out the Star Forge. _It's at times like these that I hate being strong in the Force,_ I thought ruefully as I turned my attention back to the fight. I suddenly felt another Jedi join the Force and winced. I pushed the pain away and locked it in a box I had created in my mind with the other 3 young Jedi._ 4 Jedi Knights. That's too many, _I thought in depression. Then I blinked, shaking my head. I took a risk and looked up and glanced at Carth, at any rate, the fighting was beginning to diminish for the moment. He was still concentrating on flying the Hawk, but he seemed desperate. And desolate. I felt my eyes widen. _Oh, no!_   
  


==========

  
After a ten minute long engagement, the Sith fighters were finally destroyed, and the Jedi were able to resume their flight to the Star Forge. The loss of the 4 Jedi was a terrible blow, both to the Order, and the battle at hand. Azek Nanaka, a Rodian Jedi Master, was feeling nervous…more so because of the Battle Meditation that was wreaking havoc on his confidence. _And it feels as if it's increasing, becoming more intense..._ He shook off the thought. It was impossible. He sighed. One third of his squadron had been lost in the dogfight that took place minutes ago, it was becoming increasingly doubtful that any of them would make it to the Star Forge at all, especially if they had to fight their way through another swarm of fighters like the one they just faced...   
  


==========

  
I felt alarms go off in my head. "Carth?" I asked cautiously. I ignored my controls for the moment, this was more important. "Carth?" I asked again when he didn't respond immediately, "Are you all right?"   
  
He blinked and looked at me dully. "Huh? What? What do you want?" He blinked some more. "I have to concentra-" He sighed abruptly, "Ahh, it's no use. We'll probably die here.", he lamented. I felt a shiver run up my spine at his words.   
  
"Carth!" I said sharply. "Snap out of it! It's Bastila's Battle Meditation that's making you think that way! Come on!" I reached out and grabbed his shoulder, shaking him hard.   
  
"All right, all right! I'm flying here! Do you want us to crash into someone?" He told me irritably. I watched him closely. He seemed to have regained some vigor, but still looked tired. I returned my attention to my task, but kept an eye on him.   
  
_Bastila's Battle Meditation is getting worse.. _I frowned, Or is it? I flicked the comm. on. "Everybody all right?" I asked. I received a chorus of affirmatives. Other than Carth's lapse everything was fine. _So why do I feel so uneasy?_ I looked at the Star Forge, it's massive bulk beginning to fill the viewports. I saw red beams firing out of it, directed at us. We easily evaded it. I frowned. Too easily. I remembered looking closely at the Rakatan technology in the Temple. Even if the gunner was a mindless idiot, the Star Forge will automatically track and lock, all the gunner needed to do was fire. It suddenly hit me. Quickly opening a channel to the fighters, I yelled, "Evasive maneuvers! Now!" I hit Carth on the arm as well, indicating that I meant us too. The combination of my sudden order and the slap caused him to pull hard on the controls, throwing the Hawk into a turn. Just in time to miss the sudden red beams that lanced through where we had been.   
  


==========

  
Azek spent the next few minutes attempting to calm himself as they approached the massive space station, until finally it completely filled his viewport. Dozens of red beams passed around his ship, but none coming close to hitting it. "It's like they're not even trying to hit us, like they're just firing blindly." He said over the comm. system. _It's almost like…they're trying to…_ Azek didn't get to finish that thought. At the shouted command from the Hawk, Azek sent his fighter into a dive in reflex. 7 laser bolts nearly blasted his ship to pieces. The Sith had almost lulled them into thinking they couldn't hit them from that range, but were in fact extremely accurate. A Jedi fighter was hit before the squadron began to evade in earnest.   
  


==========

  
"We can't break through!" Carth's voice rang though the cockpit, with an edge of despair. I agreed with him. Every time we came close those deadly red beams would fire, barely missing us. We had already sustained some minor damage. And we weren't the only ones. The comm. was alive with the Jedi's voices, reporting glancing hits and instrument damage. _There must be some way to get through!_ I knew our efforts wouldn't remain unnoticed for long. _Then we would have more than one Sith squadron heading for us,_ I thought grimly.   
  
"We have to keep trying! If we don't, the Republic Fleet will be destroyed!" I said trying to get Carth to focus. _He's loyal to the Republic, he'd do anything to help them,_ I thought. Only this time it didn't seem to have much of an effect. Before I could process the implications of that, the comm beeped, signaling a request for a private channel. I flicked the switch. "This is Diamid Kiith'sid, on the Hawk." I said.   
  
"Bastila's Battle Meditation is getting worse." I recognized the voice of the Jedi as Master Azek Nanaka, the Squadron Leader. "It's preventing us from concentrating clearly. Is there anything you can do, Padawan Diamid? I was informed you had a bond with Bastila, and are strong in the Force as well." I could clearly hear the strain in his voice.   
  
I swallowed hard. If I dropped my shields out here I would be exposed to Bastila's power as well as the Star Forge. I knew vaguely by an elusive memory, or instinctively perhaps, that the Darkness of the Star Forge was at its peak at the perimeter, and the heart. Beginning at the center and rising like a swell at the perimeter and slowly dissipating outward. I swallowed again and firmed my resolve. We had to get into the Star Forge, that's where Bastila is. That decided me. _And I will have to endure the Darkness when we get aboard,_ I thought,_ if I can't stand it out here I won't be able to inside. _  
  
"I'm not sure.", I replied. "If you could get closer, I could try to shield us." They had to get closer. If I stretched out my Force sense too far Bastila would notice me.   
  
"Understood. We'll make one last run at the station. All or nothing." I heard the determination in his voice. "Signal us when you are ready, Padawan."   
  
"I don't need to, Master, you'll know." I replied. Carth was giving me an odd look. I ignored him.   
  
"Very well." Nanaka said. I saw the Jedi squadron begin to maneuver closer. I got up and went to our quarters quickly, and assumed a meditative pose as I settled myself in the middle. I took a deep, steadying breath, centered, and focused myself. Then I dropped my shields and reached out to the Force...   
  
_Darkness....._ Cloying, fluid, sweet, rotten, seductive, repulsive, all these and more. I could feel it surrounding me, dragging me under. _Surrender,_ It whispered to me,_ take back what you once had. Bastila will come to you once she sees you have reconsidered.._**_ No!_** I screamed in my mind, _**Never! I serve the Light!**_ I began to struggle against that roaring tide of foulness, grasping for the Force, anything, to take me out of that trap of Darkness... and touched my bond with Bastila. A weak flicker of Light shone at the other end. I eagerly grasped it, following it out of the mire I had put myself in, and ran straight into the Force Presence of Bastila herself.   
  
_'Revan?!'_ I heard shock and surprise in her mindvoice as I hastily retreated behind my shields again. I shakily tried to center myself once more, but my thoughts kept on being dragged back to that tiny flicker of Light that saved me. Bastila still had good in her. And it seemed to be centered around me since I was able to sense it even though it was so weak. I felt overjoyed. I knew that if I was able to get to her I could stroke that small light back into brilliance.   
  
But first things first. I had to get on the Star Forge. That thought gave me the incentive to focus. Again I dropped my shields, slowly this time, and reached out to the Force. The Darkness was there again, but I was ready, and fought it off. I braced myself and expanded my awareness. I brushed against Carth first, sensing his despair and it's cause. I felt Bastila's touch in the Force, seeping into him. I started weaving gossamer Force threads around his mind, creating a shield blocking out most of her influence. I took another deep breath, and stretched out my senses even more. I saw in my mind's eye Nanaka and the rest of the Jedi, pinpoints of light against the darkness. I touched their minds briefly and felt their acknowledgement, then I weaved my shield around them. As we began to move in on the final run, I fed more Force into the shield. I hoped it would be enough.   
  


==========

  
They were getting close; finally Azek could get out of this flying hulk of metal and fight the way he did best: with a Lightsaber. Diamid Kiith'sid, one of the Jedi on the Ebon Hawk, had asked him to move his squadron closer to the freighter, so that he could shield them from Bastila's Battle Meditation, and it was working. He could feel his mind becoming clearer and he felt more confidence in his abilities. That was 10 minutes ago; now, they had only a few more to reach the giant space station.   
  
Being closer to the Ebon Hawk made it both harder and easier to survive. While the Battle Meditation no longer clouded his mind, he also had much less room to evade the hundreds of laser bolts being shot at him. _We can't get to the Star Forge fast enough._ He thought anxiously. He was beginning to develop an intense dislike for his Starfighter. _I hate being cramped in this flying casket._   
  
The comm clicked and Diamid's voice filled the speakers of Azek's craft. "I'm going to expand my shield as much as I can, Bastila already knows I'm coming anyway. Loosen the formation, and try to dock near each other." The guns continued to rain fire on the small snubfighters, their formation spread out, giving them much more room to evade with. Carth had designated the docking bay where he would land in, Azek's computer marked the bay at 17 kilometers away.   
  
Azek jerked his craft to the left sharply to avoid another volley. Suddenly Azek felt himself sink into despair. Why was he here? The Republic and the Jedi were doomed anyway. Seconds later, Azek found himself unable to avoid a sphere of laser bolts aimed towards him. The world around him slowed dramatically, and he saw with painful detail what was happening. He took a mental sigh, dispelling any anxiety in his mind, and let himself fall into the Force. He felt a surge of grief that he identified coming from the talented young Padawan Diamid. His last thought was, _This was meant to be.._   
  
Diamid watched from a distance in a trance as most of the beams missed the fighter's hull, but one managed to scorch straight through the cockpit, vaporizing Azek's body. Another shot pierced the nose of the fighter, forcing it into a lazy tumble. Without a pilot at the controls, the ship flew out of control as it began to fall apart. What was left of the ship clipped into the Ebon Hawk's right side, and caused the freighter to bounce, in that, the ship evaded a volley of 8 laser bolts meant to destroy the freighter.   
  


==========

  
I came out of my meditation in a rush, taking great gulps of air. I was sweating lightly from my mental exertion. _Why did he go too far?_ Was my first coherent thought. Then I blinked in amazement for a few seconds, my eyes wide with awe as I recalled his parting thought. "There is no luck; there is the Force…" I whispered amazedly, recalling Master Zhar's words on Dantooine, in what seemed a lifetime ago. Had those lasers hit the Ebon Hawk, it's shields would have buckled, and the remainder of the fire would have been more than enough to destroy the ship, ending our journey prematurely. I made my way as fast as I could to the cockpit, while trying to maintain the shield.   
  
Another Jedi flew too far and died on the way to the Star Forge, this time it was a young Duros Jedi whose name I did not know. This left only 4 of the original 12 Jedi to help us through the Star Forge. _It would have been better with all 12 of them with us… I see now I was being unrealistic in hoping they all made it,_ I thought sadly. Carth kept the engines at max power until we were too far into the station for the guns to hit us. Then he cut the throttle as fast as he could, and wove left and right trying to slow the ship down enough before we crashed.   
  
Had Carth lowered the throttle 5 seconds later, the Hawk would have crashed into the docking bay wall. He gently lowered the ship down to the landing pad, the loading ramp extended to the deck.   
  
======================================================  
  
A/N : Another big thanks to Orby. Hehe, I'm getting into a habit of doing this.. ; )   
  



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